Police standoff ends in arrest Friday morning

Friday morning, police apprehended a Mason City man with outstanding arrest warrants who was hiding out in the River City Apartments (pictured).

At 8:49 am, the Mason CIty Police Department arrived at the River City Apartments, 15 North Penn Ave., on a report of a subject who was in the ceiling between the fourth floor and the roof attempting to break in to an apartment.

When officers arrived, they recognized the subject as James Lewis Whitehill, age 35. Whitehill’s Facebook page discloses that he lives in Mason City. Whitehill had outstanding arrest warrants for violation of probation, reference a third degree burglary charge and a second degree criminal mischief charge.

Whitehill had recently posted bond from jail on December 21st on an unrelated charge.

Due Whitehill’s location in the ceiling, officers were unable to apprehend him. They attempted to negotiate with Whitehill for about an hour to give himself up. Whitehill refused to give himself up and found access to the roof of the building through a ceiling hatch. Once he was on the roof, Whitehill slid on a metal surface to the second story portion of the building, and then eventually made it to the ground. He was then apprehended by officers waiting there.

In addition to the arrest warrants, Whitehill was charged with interference with official acts, and charges are pending in regards to the extensive criminal mischief caused to the ceiling, drywall and air conditioning duct work that he caused.

The Mason City Police Department was assisted by the Mason City Fire Department.

The Mason City Police Department should be applauded for working closely with the local media. The MCPD is very professional in providing the proper information so that the media can communicate that to the public. This is a right to know as well as a public safety issue.

A “Press Release”, are you kidding me. The police department must want attention.

You do a press release on this story and skip many important ones. You can bet if it was one of their buddies there would be not press release.

The press can get the police reports and write a news story. A press release is a waste of paper, time and money. If the chief don’t have anything else better to do then this, he should be make part time.